Dammika Mahawattage - an ideal Prefect-of-Games

by Upananda JAYASUNDERA-- Kandy Sports Special Corr.

PREFECT OF GAMES: Dammika Mahawattage, nee Alwis, an old girl of Mahamaya Girls College, Kandy has been Prefect of Games at Mahamaya from 1997 onwards and has been doing a fine job in getting the girls to keep improving in their activities at the school.

Dammika was a student at Mahamaya in the seventies and represented the school in athletics, netball, basketball, badminton and hockey. Having been a very sports conscious girl in her school days, she easily fit into the administrative side of sports activities and also was able to teach the finer points in netball and basketball and also athletics.

She has a good knowledge in netball as she represented Sri Lanka netball team between 1970 and 1981 as a centre as well as wing attack. Among her contemporaries were Hyacinth Wijesinghe, Dammika Norbert, Jinadari Liyanage and Kamala Kulatilleke - some names that come to mind in a flesh. She was a member of the Sri Lanka team that toured India in 1980 but before that she missed going on tours to Seashells in 1972 and England in 1979 due to personal reasons.In basketball, she played for Central Province Schools and also followed a coaching course. In athletics, her pet event was the long jump and she won the event at the 1973 All-Island Schools Meet and she was also awarded the Best Athlete's Award at the All-Island Teachers Meet in 1978. She also represented Central Province Schools in hockey and badminton.

Dammika Mahawattage's knowledge in most sports has brought rich rewards to Mahamaya on the sports field. Speaking of sports in general, Dammika feels that sports cannot be improved at school level unless the parents take an active interest in the sports activities of their children.

When Dammika was a schoolgirl, her father - Francis Alwis was her guiding light and she gained such knowledge from her father. Francis Alwis captained Dharmaraja College football team and was a leading cricketer and hockey player too.

Dammika's husband - Chandra Mahawattage was the former Prefect of Games at St. Anthony's College, Katugastota and after his retirement he took up duties as Sports Co-ordinator at St. Anthony's College Sports Complex.